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According to SingHealth, diabetes affects 9% of the population in Singapore, with Type 2 diabetes more common amongst Singaporeans. While full remission of Type 2 diabetes may not be achieved, it is possible to reverse it with nutrition.

What is Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes usually presents itself in one of two ways:

the pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin for the cells of the body to metabolise sugar; or

the body has become resistant to insulin, and thus is not absorbing enough insulin to metabolise sugar.

In either scenario, there is insufficient insulin for the body to keep blood glucose levels normal. Type 2 diabetes can develop at any age. So it can affect anyone, ranging from children to senior adults.

Some common risk factors of diabetes include:

Higher than normal blood glucose levels, which is a condition known as prediabetes;

High blood pressure and cholesterol;

Excess weight, especially around the abdomen, since fatty tissues increase the body’s resistance to insulin;

Sedentary lifestyle

Increased age.

Diabetes symptoms include:

Excessive thirst and frequent urination

Increased hunger

Blurred vision

Frequent skin infections and/or wounds that take a long time to heal

A feeling of tiredness over prolonged periods of time

However, as Type 2 Diabetes develops slowly, and with some people displaying none of the known diabetes symptoms, many people may be unaware that they have the condition until their health is seriously affected.

One of these conditions is known as hyperglycemia, where the blood sugar levels are higher than normal. If left unmanaged, hyperglycemia can cause to complications that affect the kidney, eyes, nerves, and heart.

Can I Stop the Progress of Type 2 Diabetes?

While it is not easy, many people have been able to slow down the progress of diabetes, and even reverse it. It involves intensive lifestyle management that often involves weight loss and improved nutrition.

A 2014 study into the frequency of remission of Type 2 diabetes with lifestyle intervention compared to diabetes support and education alone concluded that, in overweight adults, intensive interventions with weight loss were more likely to result in partial or complete remission.

A2016 study examining the effects of a very low-calorie diet on patients with Type 2 diabetes found that a sustainable weight loss program was effective in lowering fasting plasma glucose, and potentially reversing Type 2 diabetes.

Lastly, a2014 study by the Second University of Naples showed a low-carb Mediterranean-style diet helped 15% of participants achieve remission within one year. Other diets, including low-fat diets were also tested, but with less robust results.

It seems that carbohydrate and caloric intake is most associated with reversing diabetes.

Reversing Type 2 Diabetes with Nutrition

Insulin injections and other medication are commonly used to manage Type 2 diabetes and hyperglycemia. However, a more sustainable and lasting approach would be using nutrition—together with physical activity—to reverse the condition, especially for those who wish to wean off their dependence on diabetes or hyperglycemia medication.

The way to do so is to break the cycle of strain on the cells that produce insulin, which can be assisted through a healthful diet and physical activity. Start with eating a varied diet consisting of fruit, vegetables, whole grain products, and lean protein, and reduce the consumption of processed food.

Kirsten is a Bondi based Holistic Health Coach, Certified Yoga and Meditation Instructor and Functional Movement Trainer with a passion for all things wellness. When she isn’t caught up working with clients you can find Kirsten on the yoga mat, swimming down at Bondi Beach, sipping on green smoothies and laughing way too hard at her own jokes.

When did you start practicing yoga and why?

When I first started Yoga it was all about the physical practice, but I came to learn the physical element was just a vehicle for what I really experienced deep down… an inner peace that was simply indescribable.

True peace. Calm. Mind, body, spirit awareness. An awareness of a universe so far outside of myself and beyond myself. Beyond everything I go through, to just coming into my own as a human and trying to figure it all out.

It’s about what happens internally that keeps me sane, keeps me coming back for more, and makes me so incredibly grateful that I found this practice.

Yoga and meditation help me maintain power and control over my mind. Because when we have that power and control, we can greatly reduce our own suffering and find inner peace. It has taught me a ton about myself and opened my eyes to an entirely different side of who I am. The side of me that loves to teach, connects with deeply rooted spirituality, thinks less and trusts my gut, allows my intuition to lead the way, and so much more.

If you had to choose your favourite 3 yoga poses what would they be?

3 Yoga Poses that Make My World Go Round

Urdhva Mukha Svanasana, a.k.a Upward Facing Dog

I love this pose for so many reasons. First, it’s a nice, restorative backbend that strengthens your arm, vertebrae and wrists. It’s a great stretch for your shoulders, abdomen, upper back and even your lungs. Hold for about 10 deep breaths or as long as it feels good.

Utthita Trikonasana, a.k.a Triangle Pose

THIS is my #1 favorite pose. Triangle is an incredible release along the chest, upper back and shoulder blades. It is also a great stretch for your thighs and hips. I love Triangle the most for the hip benefits because every time I get into the pose I feel my hips opening up (and I hear them… I’m a crack-er), and it feels AMAZING. Breathe, and enjoy the stretch! I also like the stretch/roll out my neck in this pose because it allows me to get super deep.

Urdhva Dhanurasana, a.k.a Wheel Pose

Ahhh, wheel pose. If you’re a gymnast, you’re probably used to calling this Bridge Pose. But in yoga, Bridge is different from Wheel in that the shoulders, neck and head stay on the floor. You can practice Bridge until you are comfortable trying Wheel. Wheel feels freaking awesome. It is the ultimate heart opener. It’s an intense pose, so allow yourself to feel that. I usually like to stay up for 5-10 breaths, and come up about 3-5 times in a row. Heart OPENER, baby.

What is your go-to nourishing snack/meal/drink post-yoga?

I like to keep my post yoga snack simple, uncomplicated and light. After a full-on yoga class all I want is a smoothie. My go to smoothie is full of decadence yet deceivingly totally healthy.

What is your number #1 tip for someone wanting to establish a yoga practice?

The only one watching you is yourself – so just relax and enjoy the journey! As a beginner, often we equate yoga with some tough, limb-twisting poses. And maybe your concerned that: “I can’t even touch my toes, how can I do yoga?” Yoga is not about touching your toes, or stretching 98 degrees to your northeast. It’s a simple process of uniting with yourself – using your breath, body and mind. And it’s easy and effortless. So, never mind if you’re not Ms. Flexible or Mr. Stretchable, or are venturing into yoga at the age of 40, or you have secret love handles that are stressing you out – just remove all those myths before beginning your yoga practice!

What advice would you give a well-practiced yogi to take their practice to the next level?

Practice new poses.

The thing that I love about yoga is that no matter where you are in your practice, you can always learn more. When you are ready to practice new poses, prepare yourself by starting with gentle and strengthening preparation poses. I always recommend that you take the time to prepare your body and mind, both physically and mentally, so that when the time is right you can effortlessly glide into your new poses. Some of my favourite poses to practice are variations on Crow (Bakasana), Headstand (Sirsasana), Handstand (Adho Mukha Vrksasana), Forearm Stand (Pincha Mayurasana).

Another lovely way to go deeper with your yoga is to experiment with gentle backbends. These will enable you to build spinal flexibility and find more space through your back and spine (and in your life!)

The health benefits of group workout classes will quash all your fitness excuses of getting fit & losing weight.

Going to a group exercise class is a great way to have fun with others who are also getting fit! If you haven’t tried group fitness classes, what are you waiting for?

The good news is that the benefits of group classes go far beyond just enjoying people’s company as you sweat and move. Working out in a group has several physical, psychological and social benefits for anyone looking to get leaner and fitter faster while having fun. Here’re 5 reasons why joining group fitness classes is one of the best ways to get fit.1. Motivation

It’s one thing to decide to start exercising to get healthier, but to actually do it is the real challenge. Working out in a group can motivate you to show up at the gym because you wouldn’t want to bail on your workout buddies. It also motivates you to return repeatedly to the class, and share the energy and experience with everyone in the group exercise class.

2. Social Support

If you feel shy about stepping into a gym to work out alone, sign up for group fitness classes with friends to work out together and be one another’s source of support! Have your friend track your progress and egg you on when your motivation wanes.

In addition to strengthening the bonds with your friends, you’ll also meet other like-minded souls in the group fitness class. Say hello to and congratulate your new friends for a job well done after each group fitness class, and you’ll end up with new workout mates in no time. This makes group exercise classes a fun social occasion that is also mentally empowering at the same time.

3. Happiness Boost

A study conducted at Oxford University in 2009 showed that athletes who trained for 45 minutes in a group showed higher endorphin levels than athletes who trained solo for the same amount of time. The study noted that these elevated endorphin levels were present in people who do synchronised activities—such as dancing, listening to music, and even laughing—together.

Some theories put forth from the study for this occurrence suggest that the surge of endorphins facilitates social bonding, and enhances cooperation and generosity among those who participate in the same activity. So raise your happy hormone levels by working out in group fitness classes.

4. Variety

Typically, big gyms offer a plethora of group exercise classes—on days when you want to take things easy, join a calming yoga class; if you feel on top of the world, dance it out with others in a dynamic dance class. Whatever your mood is, you can always find a group workout class that you fancy.

Additionally, group fitness classes are designed to target various muscle groups within a particular time frame, usually ranging from 30 to 90 minutes. No matter which class you choose, you can be sure of a good workout. Above all, the wide variety of classes will ensure that your fitness routine remains an exciting one.

5. Comprehensive programme

Each group fitness class has a programme structure that begins with a warm up, followed by a unique combination of fitness components ranging from power to agility, cardiovascular strength, balance and flexibility, then finally a cool down at the end. By attending a variety of group fitness classes, you ensure that you are constantly developing all your physical abilities, which helps you track your progress and personal improvement over time.

Give your abs & core some love with our favourite Pilates move, the 100. The Pilates 100 is a simple exercise that targets your abs, and at the same time challenges you to focus on your breathing too.

Core exercises like the Pilates 100 strengthens the transverse and rectus abdominis, pelvic floor muscles, obliques, lower and outer-middle back aka the lats, hip flexors, abductors, and adductors. That’s a whole lot of muscles from just one core exercise!

Working your core with daily ab exercises gives you a slimmer waist and a toned tummy. Adding a daily 15-minute core-focused workout will also help with your physical stability in everyday life, improve your posture, eliminate lower back pain, and even improve your breathing.

Let’s get started on the Pilates 100!

Get 100

Start by sitting on the yoga mat with both legs stretched out. Lift both arms to stretch out from the chest, and parallel to the legs. From this position, do the Pilates roll down—rolling the back down from the base of the spine to the neck and top of the head—until your upper back is flat on the yoga mat. Place arms on the sides of your body on the yoga mat.

Keeping your feet together, lift your feet off the mat and bring your legs in to a supine Tabletop position, with your bent knees directly over your hips. Press the top rim of your sacrum in to your mat so that your spine is flat. Bring your arms straight overhead.

Inhale and lift your head, neck and shoulders off the mat together, but keep your lower back and sacrum pushed down flat in to the yoga mat. At the same time, extend your arms forward. Feel the engagement in your core muscles, especially your abs.

Exhale over five counts, pumping your arms up and down on each count while keeping the body in the position. Inhale for five counts as you continue to pump your arms on each count. Together, this is one set of 10 in the Pilates 100. Repeat another 9 sets to complete the Pilates 100.

For a greater challenge, as you lift your head, neck and shoulders off the yoga mat, straighten your legs forward as well, keeping them at an angle to the yoga mat. Angle your legs as low as you can hold them while doing the Pilates 100. This is YOUR practice, so do what works best for you.

Getting bigger, stronger, faster or just getting lean and tone. You are the boss! You decide how you want to look and feel! Here is a guide to design your own workout transformation program.

Step 1: Start with the end goal in mind

What is your physique goal? Is your goal to look like Ryan Reynold in Green Lantern or Hugh Jackman in Wolverine or even Chris Evans in Captain America. Maybe your goal is to just look like Joshua Tan in Ah boys to Men 3: Frogman, that’s perfectly fine, if you have the end in mind before you start.

Step 2: Setting a Timeline

Having a timeline is important to help us stay focus and track our progress. But how much time do you need to achieve your goal? 4 weeks? 4 months? or 4 years?

Depending on where you are now, we will first focus on packing on some muscle before shredding that fat away (Note that it is possible to do both at the same time, especially if you are new to lifting). If you are new to lifting, you can probably gain 1 kg of lean muscle per month. Dropping fat is easier, you can aim to drop around 0.5 kg of fat per week, or 2 kg per month.

The numbers may not seem impressive because we are not calculating any glycogen or water loss here, if we did it would get too complicated.

So, let’s say you are 35 years old, standing at 175cm and look like Joshua Tan (BMI around 22.8, Body fat around 12% in ABTM3) now and want to look like Ryan Reynold (BMI around 24.4, Body fats around 7% in Green Lantern), you will need to put on around 7 kg on muscle mass and drop 3 kg of body fat.

To gain 7 kg of muscle, it’ll take you around 8 months – 18 months depending on how dedicated you are in your program.

Afterwards, based on the amount of fat you need to lose, we’ll just deduct 0.5 kg and that’s the number of weeks needed to get to your ideal physique.

On average, you’ll need around 12 months to get from Joshua Tan to Ryan Reynold.

That’s if you don’t get injured in the process, as progressive training is required to pack on muscle mass, but that also increases your chance of getting an injury, hence, getting an experienced trainer is recommended.

Step 3: Workout plan

To pack on size, you need to get stronger. Depending on your physique goal, the superhero physique has a wide strong upper body but legs that aren’t huge (larger than most people – no chicken legs).

There are 4 lifts that you want to get good at: the deadlift, chin up, bench press and standing shoulder press. Focus on these compound lifts to achieve that superhero physique.

Base on your commitment level (frequency of training and duration of each training session), slot those 4 exercises in accordingly.

For example, if you are willing to commit to 3 days a week, 1 hour each session – GREAT!

Spend more time on the muscle group you want to grow. If you want to have larger chest and shoulders, spend an hour working on your standing shoulder press and bench press each, then work on both the chin up and deadlift on the 3rd training session.

So, your split days will be Chest Day, Shoulder day, Deadlift and chin up day.

The next thing you want to do is to keep breaking new personal records.

Keep adding volume to your workout! Record and keep track of your lift to make sure you are getting stronger.

Step 4: You are what you eat!

Nutrition is as important as your workout if you want to achieve a superhero body. This doesn’t mean you must only eat chicken breast with broccoli! That’s quite sick. Generally, you want to increase your protein intake to 0.8g of protein per lb of bodyweight.

A simple search on google or fitnesspal will show you how much protein you have in each meal. It can come from eggs, milk, soy, beans, beef, chicken, fish or Nuzest. The source doesn’t matter as long as you achieve your protein intake at the end of the day.

Using tools such as fitnesspal can be very helpful as it tracks your calories, carbs and fat intake as well.

To gain weight, you want be on a calorie surplus. This means you are consuming more calories than you burn. A rough estimation on how much you burn daily is to multiply your weight by 33 Calories a day.

For example, you weigh 70 kg, you’ll burn around 2,300 Calories a day. To gain weight, simple add on 10-20% to create a surplus. So, after adding 400 Calories, you need to consume 2,700 Calories a day.

To lose fat, just reduce your calories by 10-20% to create a deficit.

Step 5: Recovery

Recovery is very important to ensure you perform your best each session. Low quality training will only result in poor gains and may lead to more injuries. Stretch your muscles before and after every workout and release any tight muscle. Remember to get enough sleep as well.

Last but not least, be consistent with your training program. Keep track of your progress and stay focused!

This article was originally posted by Coach Justin, a Certified Personal Trainer & Fitness Nutrition Specialist. Read more here.

Recognising and acknowledging that you are stressed is the first step in the transformation process. What you don’t know, you can’t change. In most instances, the mere fact that you have taken stock and accepted that you’re stressed also allows you to see reasons why. You may not have that magic wand to sprinkle fairy dust and make it all go away, but you can certainly use a range of lifestyle choices to ease some pressure and give yourself some breathing space. Here is a selection of powerful stress-busting techniques to choose from:

Getting your beauty sleep
Whether you’re a lark or a night owl, sleep is not a luxury, nor is it something to be caught up at weekends, or saved for holidays. Sleep is probably the most powerful, but natural, stress transformer we have – and it’s free!
Without banking sufficient sleep hours into your ‘account’, not only is your body unable to regenerate but, more importantly, your brain winds down, hindering your ability to think clearly and keep your emotions balanced. We are meant to spend around one third of our lives asleep and yet it’s the first activity we sacrifice when the pressure is on. Why? Healthy sleep is one of the sure-fire ways of maintaining youthful, resilient, vitality of both body and mind and allowing us to cope better with stress.
But how much sleep is enough? If you’ve been scrimping on your sleep for whatever reason, it’s time for a re-think. Adults, regardless of gender, typically need between 7 and 9 hours of sleep a night for optimal brain and body function. Under-sleeping by even one hour every weeknight amounts to a monumental 5 hours of sleep debt by the time the weekend arrives – impossible to recoup. But, just like your bank overdraft, sleep debt has to be repaid. All too often the price is your health and spiraling stress levels as you increasingly lack the resilience to adapt to the pressures of life.

Positive self-talk
You are what you think. The orientation of your self-talk can mean the difference between super hero or super zero. Our thoughts underpin our beliefs and beliefs quickly become self-fulfilling prophecies. What we believe determines what we do, so if we believe we can’t do something, or clog up our mind with negative thoughts, we will remain stuck in our unhappy stressed-out state. Negative thoughts can seriously limit our experiences and quality of life.

Conversely, if our self-talk is positive, even if that means consciously reframing a negative thought, our behaviour and life experience follows suit. As part of the re-framing process, ask yourself these 3 questions:

• What else could ‘this’ mean?
• Is there a positive flip side I can reach for?
• How else can I think about this?

Use a notebook if you need to in the beginning, but note your negative self-talk and change it. Negative thinking is a luxury we can ill afford.

Grounding in green spaces
Do you feel better when you’re outside in nature, barefoot on the green grass, under a sunny blue sky? Doesn’t everyone? Well it’s not all about the sunshine. It’s a lot to do with electrons. The Earth maintains a negative electrical potential on its surface. So when you’re in direct contact with the ground (walking, sitting, or laying down on the earth’s surface) the earth’s electrons are conducted to your body, which synchronises us to the same electrical potential. Living in direct contact with the Earth grounds your body, inducing favourable physiological and electrophysiological changes that promote optimum health eg. proper functioning of the immune system, circulation and synchronisation of biorhythms to name just a few. This electron exchange during grounding is also deeply relaxing and stress-relieving.

These positive effects from ‘grounding’ aren’t surprising because throughout our evolutionary history humans have been in constant contact with the Earth. It’s so simple — next time you’re on the grass, a beach or the earth, take your shoes off and synchronise a little.

Releasing your inner recreational ‘drug’
Cannabis isn’t the only source of ‘feel-good’ cannabinoids out there. Your brain can make them too! Cannabinoids may be responsible for cannabis’ classification as an illicit drug in many countries, but you can become your own legal dealer just by working out a bit more. For many years endorphins were thought to be behind the post work-out euphoria or ‘runner’s high’, but actually we now know it’s down to cannabinoids – endocannabinoids, because we make them in our bodies. It’s fascinating to find that there are more cannabinoid receptors in the brain than there are receptors for other well-known brain neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin, and ten times more than the opioid receptors. We also have cannabinoid receptors in our digestive systems and reproductive organs. Getting physically active on a regular basis not only brings you a lean, fit, healthy body, but also a serene antidote to stress. Not only that, endocannabinoids also protect your brain’s neurons from early death, which is hugely important in maintaining cognitive function as we age.

Committing to the present moment
Easier said than done. When we’re stressed, part of the reason for the stress is not knowing what to do to get out of where we find ourselves. It seems like a mountain of steps have to be taken all at once if we are to stop ourselves from drowning. Life feels out of control and it’s a natural impulse to keep looking outwards at all those steps in front of us that feel so overwhelming. But it’s actually the step right in front of us, in the here and now, that holds the key to release. All we need to do is stop looking into the stressful future, take a breath and connect fully to the present moment.

Change always begins with one step. Only one. So, try doing what our ancestors did: look to the sky and find your guiding star. Go out into the night sky. Sit in peace. Look up at the stars. Relax a little and take a moment to get away from the stress of your life and all those overwhelming steps in front of you. In the space and the quiet, in the relief and the stillness, you will regain focus. And you will feel the one step that’s in front of you. Have the courage to take that first step and commit to a daily practice of immersing yourself in the present moment – even if it’s just a fleeting 30 secs in your busy day.
You have time now to practice some of these lifestyle transformers before the next blog in this ‘Quit Stressing’ series. Next time, Rob will outline what a stress-busting nutritional toolbox should look like and why you definitely want Nuzest’s Good Green Stuff and Clean Lean Protein in it.